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Home , Aprile Millo, Francesco Cilea, Greer Grimsley, Jake Heggie, Jay Hunter Morris, Thomas Hayward (tenor)

Loyola University School of Music and Theatre Arts Presents

Opera Gala Recital

with Greer Grimsley, bass- Luretta Bybee, mezzo-soprano , Clifton Forbis, tenor Amy Johnson, soprano Tyler Smith, tenor Gordon Hawkins, baritone

Carol Rausch, piano Michael Borowitz, piano

Saturday, September 21, 2019, 7:30 p.m. Louis J. Roussel Performance Hall Program This evening’s performances will be chosen from the following and songs:

Gott! welch‘ Dunkel hier! Ludwig van Beethoven from Fidelio (1770-1827)

Nemico della Patria? Umberto Giordano from Andrea Chénier (1867-1948)

Federico’s Lament Francesco Cilea from L‘Arlesiana (1866-1950)

Vesti La Giubba Ruggero Leoncavallo from (1857-1919)

Act I Duet from (1858-1924)

Dio mi potevi Giuseppi Verdi from (1813-1901)

Si pel ciel from Otello

Die Frist ist um from Der fliegende Holländer (1813-1883)

Höre mit Sinn, was ich dir sage from Götterdämmerung

Winterstürme from Die Walküre

O Freund, ich werde sie nicht wiedersehn Erich Korngold from Die tote Stadt (1897-1957)

The Giver of Stars Richard Hundley (1931-2018) About the Performers Greer Grimsley bass-baritone Greer Grimsley is internationally recognized as an outstanding singing actor and one of the most prominent Wagnerian singers of our day. Continuing his reign as a leading interpreter of the god Wotan, he sang the eminent role for The Metropolitan ’s in ’s landmark production, directly followed by Stephen Wadsworth’s production for , his 3rd complete Cycle for the company in the last decade. His interpretation of Wotan has also brought him to multiple esteemed international opera houses; some highlights of this include his portrayal of the role in the entirety of Der Ring des Nibelungen with Deutsche Oper Berlin; Teatro Comunale di Bologna, under Gatti’s baton; Gran Teatre del in Barcelona, New National Theatre Tokyo, and the Nikikai Opera Foundation in Tokyo. His treatments of some of Wagner’s other greatest characters earned him critical acclaim both domestically and internationally. Including the title role of Der fliegende Holländer with Seattle Opera and Ravinia Festival, under the baton of Maestro James Conlon in his final performance with the company; Telramund in Lohengrin with The , Royal Danish Opera, , and Seattle Opera; Kurwenal in with Prague National Theatre, Royal Danish Opera, the Ópera de Bellas Artes in Mexico, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Seattle Opera; and Amfortas in Parsifal with The Metropolitan Opera. This season, Mr. Grimsley reprises his signature role of Wotan in Der Ring des Nibelungen with , sings the title role of Macbeth with Opera San Antonio, Kurwenal in Tristan und Isolde with Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, Pirate King in Pirates of Penzance and is featured in the end of the season concert for , Orest in Elektra in Grand Opera, Scarpia in Tosca with Michigan Opera Theatre, and sings excerpts from Die Walküre with Pacific Symphony. Future engagements through 2020 include multiple returns to The Metropolitan Opera as well as the and Teatro Real in Madrid. Mr. Grimsley has performed one of his other signature roles, that of Jokanaan in , with The Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, San Diego Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Vancouver Opera, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, Scottish National Opera, the New National Theatre in Tokyo, Ópera de Bellas Artes in Mexico, Den Jyske Opera in Denmark, and in his Dallas Opera début with in the title role. The San Francisco Chronicle exclaimed: “Bass-baritone Greer Grimsley was a thunderous and dramatically compelling Jokanaan. Grimsley invested the part with rhetorical strength and an air of moral solidity - the perfect antithesis to Salome's eroticized jitters.” Notable US engagements over the last several seasons include the role of Scarpia in Tosca with San Diego Opera, The Metropolitan Opera, , L’Opera de Montreal, Portland Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Opera Colorado, and in a return to Seattle Opera; the role of Jack Rance in La fanciullla del West with Minnesota Opera and Seattle Opera; the role of Don Pizarro in Fidelio with The Metropolitan Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Seattle Opera, and Portland Opera; the title role of Macbeth with Minnesota Opera, Vancouver Opera, and Opera Lyra Ottawa; Wotan in Das Rheingold with Minnesota Opera; Captain Balstrode in Peter Grimes and Escamillo in with The Metropolitan Opera; the world première of Ashoka’s Dream as Canyka with Sante Fe Opera; the role of Mephistopheles in Faust with San Diego Opera, New Orleans Opera, and Arizona Opera; the role of Amonsaro in Aïda with Portland Opera; the role of Claggart in Billy Budd with Pittsburgh Opera and in his Los Angeles Opera début; and his much anticipated role début as the title role in Sweeney Todd with Vancouver Opera, which he recently reprised with New Orleans Opera and Glimmerglass Opera. An active concert artist, some of Greer’s favorite concert engagements include Verdi’s with the Atlanta Symphony at Carnegie Hall; Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Seattle Symphony and San Antonio Symphony; the High Priest in Samson et Dalila with Washington Concert Opera and Atlanta Symphony; Scarpia in Tosca with Deborah Voight and the Minnesota Orchestra; and Don Pizarro in Fidelio with the Saint Louis Symphony and in his New York Philharmonic début with conductor Kurt Masur at the inaugural season of the Lincoln Center Festival.

Luretta Bybee Mezzo-soprano Luretta Bybee is proven to be an artist of remarkable range and versatility in her performances throughout the world. She is now in demand as a dynamic and comedic singing actress. Continuing her forays into the realm of musical theatre and character acting and singing, Ms. Bybee has portrayed roles such as Madame Armfeldt in A Little Night Music with the Pine Mountain Music Festival, Little Buttercup in H.M.S. Pinafore and her role début as Golde in Fiddler on the Roof at Shreveport Opera, and Mrs. Lovett in Sondheim’s beloved horror story Sweeney Todd at Vancouver Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, and New Orleans Opera. This season, Bybee performs Ruth in Pirates of Penzance alongside her equally-acclaimed husband Greer Grimsley at San Diego Opera. In future seasons, she will appear with Dallas Opera. Recently, Ms. Bybee appeared as Madame de la Haltière in Cendrillon with New Orleans Opera, Mary in Der fliegende Holländer with Opera Carolina and Seattle Opera, and Dame Marthe in Faust with Arizona Opera. She also recently sang as a soloist in the NYFOS Sondheim Concert at Carnegie Hall and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Seattle Symphony and San Antonio Symphony. She made her Seattle Opera début as Princess Maria in Prokofiev’s War and Peace, in a production directed by Francesca Zambello, released on video. She returned as a house favorite as Mary in Der fliegende Holländer, Paula in Daniel Catán’s Florencia en el Amazonas, Amanda in the world première of Daron Hagen’s Amelia, Klytämnestra in Elektra, Waltraute in Die Walküre, Second Norn and Waltraute cover in Götterdämmerung, and Fricka in both Das Rheingold and Die Walküre. She also appeared in Seattle Opera’s Der Ring des Nibelungen in 2005, 2009, and 2013. Other appearances have included Herodias in Salome at the Arizona Opera, Orlando Opera, and Cleveland Opera; Ulrica in with Opera Memphis; the title role in Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia for Opéra de Montréal; and Dalila in Samson et Dalila with Memphis Opera. International recognition came early in her career when she sang the title role in the world tour of ’s La tragédie de Carmen. Bizet’s heroine has since figured heavily in Ms. Bybee’s career success. The Seattle Times hailed: “Luretta Bybee…is a sexy, adroit Carmen whose wealth of experience shows in every phrase and gesture.” She has performed the role for over 25 opera companies throughout the world. Ms. Bybee’s interpretations of Rossini characters earlier in her career garnered widespread recognition and praise. In addition to her appearances as Isabella at , she sang the role in Cologne, Dublin and at the Festival International de Santander. She made her Frankfurt Opera début in concert performances of Tancredi and sang the role of Falliero in the American première of Rossini’s at Florida Grand Opera. Ms. Bybee also enjoyed great success as Farnace in Mozart’s Mitridate, re di Ponto at the Wexford Festival and in Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. The Verdi Requiem marked Ms. Bybee’s début at Carnegie Hall. She also appeared as the mezzo-soprano soloist in a Verdi Gala with the Jacksonville Symphony and sang Bernstein’s Songfest to open the season at the 92nd St. Y in New York, and again in with Seiji Ozawa at the Tanglewood Festival. Additionally, she sang Händel’s Messiah with the Colorado and Houston Symphonies. Ms. Bybee created the role of Joanna in Carly Simon’s opera Romulus Hunt in its world première in New York. The production was directed by Francesca Zambello and recorded on Angel records. A sought-after educator, clinician, and competition judge, Professor Bybee serves on the voice faculty at Loyola University’s College of Music and Media in New Orleans.

Jay Hunter Morris tenor Opera singer, Grammy-Winner and Author, Jay Hunter Morris came into the National spotlight when he created the role of Tony in Terrence McNally’s celebrated play Master Class, on Broadway in 1995. Career highlights include performances in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Seattle, Santiago, Santa Fe, San Diego, Calgary, Toronto, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, Hawaii, Atlanta, , Monte Carlo, Budapest, Tokyo, Nice, Strasbourg, Frankfurt, Vienna, Taipei, Beijing and Rome. He debuted the role of with the San Francisco Opera in 2011, and perhaps most famously, at the Metropolitan Opera in their new production by Robert LePage in 2011-13. The production was broadcast live to cinemas worldwide, and in 2013 won a Grammy for Best Opera Recording. He sang the role in Budapest at the Wagner Days Festival, and again in 2016 with . Other recent successes include his first Tristan in Valencia, under the baton of Zubin Mehta, and Schoenburg’s Guerre-Lieder at the Vienna Konzerthaus with Kent Nagano. Mr Morris has most recently been seen on PBS in the role of Captain Ahab in ’s Moby-Dick, from the San Francisco Opera. A contemporary opera veteran of great renown, Mr. Morris has been heard in world premiere productions including (Adams), The Fly (Shore), Grendel (Goldenthal), (Heggie), A Streetcar Named Desire (Previn), A Christmas Carol (Bell), and he created the role of Teague in a new opera: Cold Mountain (Higdon), which premiered in Santa Fe in 2015, and earned him two more Grammy Nominations. This year he made his Carnegie Hall debut in ’ The Gospel According to the other Mary. In 2013 his book, Diary of a Redneck Opera Zinger was published by Opera Lively.

Clifton Forbis tenor A dramatic tenor, Forbis is internationally known as a performer of some of the most demanding tenor repertoire in opera and is a leading artist with the world’s major companies. He has performed the role of Siegmund in Wagner’s Die Walküre with the Metropolitan Opera, Canadian Opera Company, National Symphony, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Dallas Opera, among others; the role of Tristan in Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde at Opera Geneva, L’Opera Bastille in Paris, the Tokyo Opera, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago; Samson in Saint-Saëns’s Samson et Dalilaat the Metropolitan Opera, Bilbao Opera and San Francisco Opera; and the lead role in Verdi’s Otello with the Teatro alla Scala in , Deutsche Oper Berlin, Vienna Staatsoper, Chicago Symphony and Dallas Opera, to name just a few. In addition, Forbis has given numerous recitals and concerts throughout the U.S. and Europe. Highlights include a concert with Denyce Graves and the Fort Worth Symphony for the opening of the Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth, and performances of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Chicago Symphony and Symphony, Stravinsky’s Les Noces with the San Francisco Symphony, and Britten’s War Requiem with the Rotterdam Philharmonic, among others. He has worked with dozens of the world’s best-known conductors, including , Daniel Barenboim, Seiji Ozawa, James Conlon, Claudio Abbado, and Sir Simon Rattle. Forbis attended William Jewell College in Missouri and earned his B.A. in vocal performance from Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., where he studied with Ted Wylie. He later attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, studying with Jack Coldiron, and then transferred to SMU to complete his Master of Music degree in vocal performance in 1990 as a student of . Two years later he completed the post-graduate program at the Juilliard School of Music Opera Center in New York, where his principal teacher was Marlena Malas. Since then his primary teachers have been Bill and Dixie Neill in New York; other coaches and teachers have included Nico Castel at the Metropolitan Opera, Ricardo Muti at Teatro alla Scala and Janine Rice at L’Opera Bastille.

Amy Johnson soprano For over two decades, critics have recognized soprano Amy Johnson as one of America’s finest singing actresses, and she has garnered comparable acclaim as a voice teacher in both private and academic settings. Her studio has attracted a diverse group of singers from all parts of the world. Many have gone on to study at some of the finest music schools both domestically and abroad, been awarded international continued study grants, earned places in prestigious Young Artists’ Programs, been winners in the Corbett, Lotte Lenya and Metropolitan Opera competitions, and are appearing in theatres worldwide, including the Metropolitan Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, major national Broadway tours and the Broadway, Los Angeles and Chicago productions of Hamilton. In addition to teaching voice, Ms. Johnson is co-producer of CCM Undergraduate Opera (Opera d'arte), and has served as co-Artistic Director of CCM Summer Opera Studio/Bootcamp. She is a board member with the National Opera Association, was recently published in Classical Singer Magazine, has been both co-principal in a production company and co-founder of a summer opera/language program in , and is in frequent demand for masterclasses and artist-in-residencies. Ms. Johnson’s repertoire encompasses over two dozen roles ranging from Donna Anna in Don Giovanni to Salome. She has earned special praise for her portrayal of Tosca in over a dozen productions worldwide, notably with New York City Opera on PBS’ Live from Lincoln Center. She has performed leading and title roles alongside major international artists with such companies as Vlaamse Opera Antwerp, Glimmerglass, New York City Opera, Indianapolis, Portland, Spier Festival South Africa, Palm Beach, Michigan, Arizona, Toledo, Orlando, Virginia, Greensboro, Knoxville, Kentucky, Santa Barbara and others. This year Ms. Johnson will join forces with renowned pianist Kathleen Kelly on a series of recitals. Both artists have a long history of performing American music and collaborating with American composers. The centerpiece of the program, Judith Shatin’s Patterns, based on a monodrama of , was commissioned by Ms. Johnson, and is the latest of numerous world premieres written for her. She is particularly known for her work with renowned composer Thea Musgrave, who tailored the leading soprano role in her opera Simon Bolivar for her, and later asked her to debut her orchestral work Three Women: Queen, Mistress, Slave. Ms. Johnson created the roles of Finola Daley in the Eric Sawyer/Harley Erdman opera The Garden of Martyrs. She has received critical acclaim for her performances of Oh Millersville! by Jon Chenette, and A Race to the Sky by Richard Pearson Thomas. Composer Patrick Keady wrote a setting based on the German children’s tale Der Struwwelpeter for Ms. Johnson. Her soon to be released solo CD, Amy Johnson – Red, White and Blue contains never- before recorded arias by Stephen Schwartz, Robert Aldridge, Ms. Musgrave and Anton Coppola. This fall she will perform two concerts featuring the works of venerable composer/conductor Coppola (still active at age 102) including two premieres. Ms. Johnson’s most recent activities include with Kentucky Symphony, Tosca and Salome with CCM Philharmonia (conducted by Mark Gibson), a New Year’s Eve Viennese Gala with Dayton Philharmonic (conducted by Neil Gittleman), and numerous recitals, including ones in Xiamen, China and Torreon, Mexico. Her acclaimed portrayal of Salome was aired over Iowa Public Television in a vivid new production by Cedar Rapids Opera, and she was invited to return for a recital broadcast over Iowa Public Radio. Other recent activities include concerts with Cantos para Hermanar al Mundo and Orquesta Sinfonica de Xalapa (Torreon and Xalapa, Mexico), appearances with Cheyenne Symphony and Glacier Symphony Montana, opera galas with the Springfield and Kentucky Symphonies and the CCM Philharmonia (featuring excerpts from Die Walküre and Tristan und Isolde), Tosca for the festival Musica e Musica in Italy, Freia in Das Rheingold co-produced by Indianapolis Symphony and Opera, Handel’s Messiah in both Galion (OH) and Carefree, Arizona, and numerous concert and recital dates centered on the works of Wagner, Verdi, Strauss, Charpentier and Korngold. With Opera d’arte Ms. Johnson has directed Donizetti's Maria Stuarda and a triple bill of one act operas (The Telephone, Trouble in Tahiti and Tale for a Deaf Ear), and in 2020 will direct Monteverdi’s Orfeo.

Tyler Smith tenor Tenor Tyler Smith has appeared in numerous operatic and concert performances throughout the United States, Europe, and South America. Most recently he was seen as Canio in the Mobile Opera production of I Pagliacci and Tamino in Opera’s production of Die Zauberflöte. He also performed the role of Howard Boucher in New Orleans Opera’s critically acclaimed production of Dead Man Walking. Other appearances with Louisiana Opera include Rodolfo in La bohéme and Turiddu in . For Opéra Louisiane he has performed the roles of Siegmund and Siegfried in a production of The Ring: a two-hour reduction created by Michael Borowitz. For his performance as Eléazar in a highlights concert of La Juive, he won The Big Easy Award in New Orleans for Best Community Opera in 2013. Other recent roles include Canio for New Orleans Opera and The Southern Opera & Musical Theatre’s productions of I Pagliacci as well as Maxwell in Pensacola Opera’s world premiere of The Widow’s Lantern. For his debut as Canio with New Orleans Opera, Mr. Smith stepped in with six hours’ notice for an ailing colleague. deemed his performance a “heroic job…[a] powerful voice and was remarkably in touch with the drama.” For Des Moines Metro Opera, he has covered the roles of Max in Der Freischütz, Cavaradossi in Tosca, Otello in Otello and Riccardo in The Masked Ball. Other roles performed include Don Jose in Carmen, Sam in Susannah, Max in Der Freischütz, Boris in Katya Kabanova, the title role in Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffmann, Florestan in Fidelio, and Belfiore in Argento’s Casanovas Homecoming (released on the Newport Classics label). In 2001 he made his Houston Grand Opera Debut as Carlson in ’s Of Mice and Men (released on the Albany label). Recent roles have included Malcolm in New Orleans Opera’s production of Verdi’s Macbeth, Sam Polk in Susannah, and Alfred in Die Fledermaus for Louisiana Opera. Equally at home on the concert stage, Mr. Smith has performed with the Caritas Chorale, Houston Symphony, New Orleans Symphony Chorus, Orchestra X, Idaho Falls Symphony, Corpus Christi Symphony, Ars Lyrica Houston, and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. Some highlights include Bach’s Magnificat and St. John Passion, Vaughan Williams’ Hodie, Rossini’s Stabat Mater, Haydn’s Creation and Paukenmesse, Dvorak’s Stabat Mater, the Verdi Requiem, the Mozart Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, Handel’s Alexander’s Feast, Goodall’s Eternal Light Requiem, Beethoven’s Mass in C, and 9th Symphony, Schubert’s Mass in A flat and B flat, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, and Britten’s Ballade of Heroes. Dr. Smith is currently Extraordinary Professor of Voice and Coordinator of Voice Studies at Loyola University of New Orleans and also serves on the faculty of the International Performing Arts Institute based in Kiefersfelden, Germany. Some of his teachers have included Scharmal Schrock, David Holley, Joseph Evans, and Bill Shuman.

Gordon Hawkins Baritone Gordon Hawkins is critically acclaimed throughout the world for his in-depth interpretations and lush baritone voice. A dramatic baritone with an international reputation as a “ specialist,” Mr. Hawkins has delighted audiences as the tragic Verdi underdog in more than 200 performances, most recently with the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Vancouver Opera, Washington National Opera, Arizona Opera, and Opera Colorado. He is now earning critical acclaim as a Wagner specialist: “Alberich was superbly realized by baritone Gordon Hawkins, in his [Los Angeles Opera] début. Despite wearing a grotesque puppet head and clunky boots that hobbled his movements, Hawkins delivered a sterling vocal characterization of the power-mad Nibelung.” (Opera News). He has been engaged as Alberich in Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen at esteemed international companies including: San Francisco Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Seattle Opera, Washington National Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Teatro de la Maestranza de Sevilla, and the BBC Orchestra at Royal Albert Hall in London. Last season, Mr. Hawkins performed the role of Amonasro in Aïda with Washington National Opera and Seattle Opera; Scarpia in Tosca with Arizona Opera; and in concert sang the baritone solo in Mahler’s Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen and Daniel Bernard Roumain’s Harvest with ASU Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Hawkins’ career is shaped by performances of opera’s most popular baritone roles at leading companies throughout the world. With an impressive repertoire under his belt, some of Mr. Hawkin’s prominent roles include Amonasro in Aïda which he has performed with Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, , Michigan Opera Theatre, and The Atlanta Opera; Scarpia in Tosca which he has performed with Cincinnati Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Vancouver Opera, and Arizona Opera; as well as title roles such as Nabucco with Seattle Opera and Opera Carolina and Macbeth also with Seattle Opera. Additional favored engagements have included Thoas in Iphigénie en Tuaride with The Metropolitan Opera; Alvaro in Florencia en el Amazonas with Los Angeles Opera; Alfio in Cavalleria rusticana with Washington National Opera; Count di Luna in with Seattle Opera; Tonio in Pagliacci with Arizona Musicfest; and Renato in Un ballo in maschera with New Orleans Opera and Opéra de Montréal. Internationally, Mr. Hawkins has performed at venues such as Duetsche Oper Berlin as Telramund in Lohenbrin, Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville as Caspar in Der Freischütz, and New National Theatre Tokyo as the Villians in Les contes d’Hoffmann. One of his signature roles, Porgy in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess has brought him to some of the most esteemed companies and symphonies in the world, including: The Lyric Opera of Chicago, Washington National Opera, Seattle Opera, Michigan Opera Theatre, Dallas Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Toledo Opera, Colorado Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Opera, Jacksonville Symphony, and Festspillene i Bergen in Norway. An accomplished concert artist, some favorite engagements of recent seasons include a Gala Concert for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg in Washington DC; a recital entitled War and Remembrance at The Clarice Center for the Performing Arts; Amonasro in Aïda with St. Louis Symphony; Vaughan Williams’ A Sea Symphony with The Washington Chorus at the Kennedy Center; the world première of Jake Heggie’s A Great Hope Fell with the Eos Orchestra of New York; Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with The Atlanta Symphony and St. Louis Symphony; concert selections from American musicals with Welle WDR 4 in Cologne, Germany; and additional repertoire with the Chicago Symphony, National Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony, The Cincinnati Orchestra, National Theatre Orchestra of Prague, and Vienna Symphony. Mr. Hawkins has been heard on the Live BBC Radio broadcast as Alberich in Götterdämmerung with the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall and “Live from the Metropolitan Opera” broadcasts earlier in his career as Marcello in La bohème with Plácido Domingo and , and Silvano in Un ballo in maschera with and Aprile Millo. He can be heard as George Milton on the first recording of Carlisle Floyd’s Of Mice and Men with the Houston Grand Opera on Albany Records and the recording of as the title role with the New Zealand International Festival of the Arts. Mr. Hawkins was a winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and the Luciano Pavarotti International Vocal Competition and was awarded the Washington National Opera’s “Artist of the Year” award.

Carol Rausch Piano Carol Rausch is currently the chorus master, music coordinator and education director for the New Orleans Opera Association. She also serves as chorus master and music administrator for the Chautauqua Opera's summer festival season in upstate New York, where she heads the music staff and oversees the nationally recognized apprentice program. Rausch has previously worked for the Virginia Opera, Greater Miami Opera, Ohio Light Opera and Opera/Columbus. Rausch's educational background includes degrees from Indiana University and The Ohio State University, plus a year of study at the Conservatoire Royal de Musique in Brussels, Belgium, as a Rotary Foundation Graduate Fellow. She has teaching experience at Ohio State and Kenyon College. Rausch has musically prepared and conducted recent Loyola Opera Theater productions of The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, The Elixir of Love, The Barber of Seville, Die Fledermaus, and Cosi Fan Tutte. Rausch has performed as a member of the Metamorphosis Chamber Ensemble and Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra, and has remained active as a vocal coach and recital accompanist. She continues to serve as music director and pianist for the "Classical Cabaret" recital series, a joint venture between the New Orleans Opera and NOCCA/Riverfront. In New Orleans she annually accompanies the Metropolitan Opera Competition district and regional auditions. Rausch received the 1998 Tribute to the Classical Arts Creative Achievement in Opera Award for choral direction of Verdi's Il Trovatore and the 2000 Arts Education Award recognizing the success of the New Orleans Opera's presence in the schools of Louisiana, Mississippi and . In addition, she has extensive background as a broadcast producer for public radio, and worked for several years at WOSU-FM in Columbus. She has been with the College of Music faculty since 1996.

Michael Borowitz Piano American conductor and pianist Michael Borowitz is currently in his eleventh year as Music Director and Associate Professor of LSU Opera, where last season he conducted performances of Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, Kevin Puts' Elizabeth Cree, and Poulenc's Les mamelles de Tirésias. He is in his tenth season as Artistic Director with Opéra Louisiane, for whom he has created numerous orchestral reductions of major works (Wagner's The Ring - a two-hour adaptation of Der Ring des Nibelungen, as well as Monteverdi's Ulysses: An American Mythology - an R&B/gospel realization of Il ritorno d'Ulisse in Patria, to name just two) and this season will conduct performances of Rossini's , Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors, and Offenbach's Les contes d'Hoffmann. This past summer he conducted performances of Puccini's Suor Angelica with OperaFestival di Roma. His current recordings (all on the Albany label) include Offenbach’s Bluebeard, Kern’s The Cabaret Girl, Herbert’s Mlle. Modiste (also released on DVD by Operetta Archives), and Gilbert and Sullivan’s Ruddigore and Patience. Newly released on DVD by Operetta Archives is Mr. Borowitz conducting the 2007 Ohio Light Opera production of Kálmán’s The Duchess of Chicago. For nine years he was Artistic Director of Nevada Opera, and for five seasons he was Music Director for Ohio Light Opera. He has been a guest conductor for La Musica Lirica, Des Moines Metro Opera, Baltimore Concert Opera, Opera Delaware, Pensacola Opera, AVA Ballet, Eastman School of Music, Opera Idaho, Opera Southwest, Rimrock Opera, Opera Columbus, The Reno Philharmonic and the LSU Symphony Orchestra, as well as assistant conductor with The Metropolitan Opera, Indianapolis Opera and Cleveland Opera.

The Loyola College of Music and Media would like to say a special thank you to Dr. Bruce Earnest and the International Performing Arts Institute for its donation of scholarship funds to the Dramatic Voice Symposium. These funds are used to help participants offset the cost of their tuition.

Upcoming Events

School of Music & Theatre Arts Centennial Celebration Saturday, Sept. 28, 7:30 p.m. | Roussel Hall Ticket required Music Education Series: Andrew J. Bower Music Programs in Title I Schools Tuesday, Oct. 8, 5:30 p.m. | 204G Free admission Dr. Nicolas Emilfork, guitar Wednesday, Oct. 16, 7:30 p.m. | Nunemaker Auditorium Free admission Jazz Underground: An Evening with Kidd Jordan Thursday, Oct. 17, 7:30 p.m. | Nunemaker Auditorium Ticket required Father James Carter String Quartet Monday, Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m. | Nunemaker Auditorium Free admission Opera Workshop & Faculty: The Sinister Side of Opera, Part II Sunday, Oct. 27, 3 p.m. | Roussel Hall Ticket required Loyola Strings with Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg Friday, Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m. | Roussel Hall Ticket required Jazz Underground: Loyola Faculty Thursday, Nov. 7, 7:30 p.m. | Nunemaker Auditorium Ticket required

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